Dryer Repair

When the drum won’t turn at all, the drive belt is the first thing we check: it’s the most common cause of a dryer not spinning. Belts stretch and snap over time, especially on older units running large loads. If the belt is intact, the motor or idler pulley is the next suspect.

A seized motor won’t start the drum. A failed idler pulley loses tension on the belt and causes the drum to stop mid-cycle. All three are routine repairs in most cases.

Read our guide: Dryer Not Heating? How to fix.

Similar to a dryer not spinning, but with a subtle difference: the drum may attempt to turn and then stop, or turn slowly and unevenly. This usually points to worn drum rollers that support the drum’s rotation, or a damaged drum seal allowing the drum to drag against the cabinet. A drum that doesn’t turn smoothly also accelerates belt wear, so catching it early saves a second repair.

When nothing happens at all (no sound, no lights, no drum movement), the problem is almost always electrical. Check the circuit breaker first: electric dryers run on 240V and can lose one leg, which causes the drum to turn but produces no heat, or stops the unit entirely. If the breaker is fine, the start switch, door latch, or control board is the likely cause.

A faulty door latch that doesn’t register as closed will prevent the cycle from starting on most modern dryers. If the dryer won’t start after a power outage, a full power cycle often fixes it. Unplug for 5 minutes, then restart.

If the dryer runs and produces heat but clothes come out damp, the problem is almost always airflow, not the heating system. A clogged dryer vent is the leading cause of damp clothes: restricted exhaust traps moisture inside the drum and the cycle can’t complete. Clean the lint trap first.

If clothes are still damp after a normal cycle, the vent duct itself needs clearing. See our dryer vent cleaning service. A failed blower wheel is the second cause: if the wheel is cracked or clogged, airflow drops and drying time doubles.

A dryer takes too long to dry when airflow is restricted or heating efficiency has dropped. Root causes: a partially clogged dryer vent, a worn heating element producing less heat than rated, dirty moisture sensors that misread the load as still wet, or a clogged blower wheel. This symptom often comes before a complete heating failure, so address it before the thermal fuse blows.

A squeaking dryer is one of the easier problems to diagnose. The sound almost always comes from worn drum rollers, a failing idler pulley bearing, or a fraying drive belt slipping against the drum. Loud squeaking during operation means these components are near the end of their life.

Catching them before they fail completely prevents a drum-stops-spinning situation. All three are inexpensive parts, and the labor is about the same whether you replace one or all three, so we typically inspect all three at once.

Different sounds point to different components. Thumping or banging: worn drum rollers or items caught between the drum and cabinet. Rattling: loose objects in the drum, a detached drum seal, or loose panels. Humming without drum movement: motor running but drive system failed.

Scraping: drum seal dragging against the housing. Clicking: control board relay switching, which is normal in small doses but abnormal if continuous. A dryer that is loud at startup and then quiets down usually has a worn idler pulley: it’s under tension at startup and eases as the belt warms.

A dryer burning smell is always worth stopping for. The most common cause is lint accumulation near the heating element: lint migrates past the lint trap into the cabinet and ignites when it contacts the heating coil. This is the leading cause of dryer fires in the US.

A rubber smell specifically means the drive belt is slipping or starting to fail. A sharp, acrid electrical smell means a motor winding or control board component is overheating. Stop the dryer, unplug it, and call Wilson & Myers before running it again.

Overheating (clothes too hot, the unit hot to the touch, the thermal fuse blowing repeatedly) is almost always caused by a clogged dryer vent that traps heat inside the cabinet. The dryer’s safety system blows the thermal fuse to prevent a fire, but replacing the fuse without clearing the vent just blows it again. Secondary causes: a failed cycling thermostat that doesn’t regulate heat properly, or a heating element grounded to the cabinet producing continuous heat regardless of the thermostat. Overheating is a fire hazard, so don’t put this repair off.

A dryer shaking or vibrating excessively during operation usually comes from uneven loading (overloading one side), worn drum rollers that no longer support the drum evenly, or the unit sitting on an uneven floor. Check that the dryer is level first: most models have adjustable feet. If leveling doesn’t resolve it, worn drum rollers or a damaged blower wheel are the mechanical causes. Persistent vibration accelerates wear on every moving component.